These are just a few of the kids who took part in the project.
The project consisted of the art students accepted art mats from the children of Urukundo added their ideas, mounted the art and added pictures of the Rwanda student and the Propel student. These were for sale.
Hello Friends and Family from the USA and Urukundo.
The month of May in the USA has been very cold but the spring flowers have been spectacular. I am freezing. I'm delighted to report I have been given a clean bill of health and am ready to return home to Urukundo and get back to work. The report from Urukundo is very positive. Our staff is doing a excellent job while I am away. This comment from Helen Kweskin and her team of students :
"Please know how truly grateful I feel for all the love, support, and logistical thoughtfulness that allowed us to have such a rich experience at such a very special place. "
Thank you Helen!
Next month will be back to business as usual since I'll be returning June 12 to my kids. In the meantime, thank you to Carol Falke and Sarah Ketchley for their participation in getting this newsletter to you.
The month of May we will share with you the projects involved in Education at Urukundo Learning Center.
Funding for constructing the second grade class rooms is still the priority project for the present. Looking for partners in education to make it a success. Building each set of classrooms, one at a time, is very difficult and more expensive. If it were possible to contract for the whole project it would be more economical. Until that financial support comes we will continue one year at a time. I know with God all things are possible.
Hello from both sides of the world.
Mama and brother of the groom as escort.
Sara and Christian.
Mother Patricia and Dad Dale. I am a very happy Grandmother.We were thrilled to see the sewing center open and beginning operation. Five treadle sewing machines were purchased by donors in State College and at St. Paul's United Methodist Church. They were set up and being used when we arrived.
Aprons for the kitchen staff, uniforms for the farmers, dresses for the primary school dedication, skirts and shoulder bags. It was fully operational but needed the many supplies we were bringing. Two huge suitcases full.
Therese the sewing instructor and I are meeting for the first time. She was smiling as she received the many gifts of sewing supplies.
Women and men will come daily to sew as well as learn to sew. Orders are coming in, so many hands are needed.
Urukundo was blessed, thanks to the Ingoboka Fund, to be able to give the help needed when a little four year old boy, Deogratios Mugisha, accidentally fell into boiling water and was scalded over the left side of his body. Remember cooking is done in the home of our families with charcoal pots sitting on the floor. The little boy is a student at our preschool and so when this happened his parents brought him to us.
Sunday School children, book clubs, alternative Christmas, preschool global giving projects. What do they have in common? Marc, 11yrs old, says it best, "I got to help make joy for the people of Rwanda. We gave money for a pig and desks. It was really cool."
The end of 2012 brought many joys and examples of giving that I knew God was smiling and blessing all the hands and feet serving. One little boy gave at Sunday School to purchase a pig for the farm and said it was “Special. Heart soaking.” Barb said with a smile, “For the past several years, I've given a donation as an alternative to purchasing a Christmas gift for my parents. This year I chose to honor them by giving a gift of desks and chairs to the new primary school. My parents were so touched! They have always valued education, and this seemed like the perfect way to show our love for and support of the children of Rwanda.”
Two women’s book clubs were inspired to give towards desks, bookshelves and books. Gail shared, “Learning and loving to read is one of the most wonderful gifts given to us all. It opens the world around us. We chose having bookshelves for your classroom to enable you to fill the world around you with books, books and more books!” And Darlene’s book club said, “All children deserve the chance to receive an education. It is the building block for a nation.”
A partnership was formed a year ago with a preschool. Classes at each school in Rwanda and the US are learning what is the same and what is different. They are learning about each other’s countries and to appreciate their culture. This school selected Urukundo as their Global Giving Project for 2012. Almost $400 was raised for desks, bookshelves and teacher materials.
So for 2013, be creative, think BIG and connect people, schools, organizations to the Urukundo Children’s Home and Learning Center. They will fall in love with the children, understand how something small can mean something big in Rwanda and KNOW they are truly making a difference. Share the stories of Urukundo with others to give them the opportunity to Help Make Joy all year long!!!
Elma was one of the very first to take this mission to heart.